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Preserving Carolina’s Commitment

As our family moved from military base to military base, my four younger brothers and I were reminded regularly by our parents to follow four absolutes: Always be honest, play fair, do your best and get a college education. In one of his last audio tapes sent from Vietnam prior to being killed in an ambush near Pleiku on June 1, 1965, our dad again emphasized the importance of “getting a basic four-year undergraduate diploma. … I don’t care what your major is. You will each get your diploma.”

GAA President Doug Dibbert ’70

Douglas S. Dibbert ’70

So as we grew up, my brothers and I worked many odd jobs to save money for college — selling greeting cards, bagging groceries, pumping gas, cutting lawns, delivering newspapers, baby-sitting, and collecting and selling coat hangers and drink bottles. When I entered Carolina, I kept a detailed accounting of every penny I spent — nearly $1,200 for everything during my freshman year. And I continued to work in the summers and as a resident adviser my junior and senior years.

Carolina has long prided itself on providing access to all those who earn admission — regardless of their financial circumstances. In 1879, the Deems Fund was established and made loans to nearly 2,000 individuals. In 1932, our Alumni Review reported that an Emergency Student Loan Fund was established, without which “over five hundred worthwhile students … will be forced out of school back upon bankrupt homes and jobless towns.”

Since its launch in 2004, the Carolina Covenant has provided a debt-free education to qualified low-income students. Carolina remains one of only two peer institutions to meet 100 percent of documented financial need. (The other is Virginia.) Covenant Scholars are selected only after having earned admission to Carolina and after their financial need is confirmed. In addition to the grants they receive, they can work 10 to 12 hours a week in a federal work-study job.

For every Covenant Scholar, there are three middle-income students at Carolina receiving need-based aid. And despite recent tuition increases, the 35 percent of undergraduate students who borrow leave UNC with an average of $16,700 in cumulative undergraduate debt — nearly $10,000 below the national average of $26,600.

For nearly 20 years, our New York Carolina Club has hosted an annual reception to support the Richard H. Jenrette ’51 Scholarship, which provides support to local students attending Carolina. Similarly, our Charlotte Carolina Club has long hosted the William Richardson Davie Dinner. More recently, our Wake County (serving Raleigh and Cary) and Foothills (serving Hickory) Carolina clubs launched annual scholarship events. Last fall, our Atlanta Carolina Club hosted its first scholarship dinner. Through dinners, receptions, auctions, raffles and other means, each year nearly 40 of our local Carolina clubs provide scholarship support.

In support of the Carolina First Campaign, in 2001 the GAA contributed $500,000 to establish the GAA Scholars, and in 2007, an additional $50,000 was contributed to establish the Douglas S. Dibbert Scholars. After the death in 1995 of former Alumni Secretary J. Maryon “Spike” Saunders ’25, the GAA solicited memorial gifts and established a scholarship in his name. In 2005, the Black Alumni Reunion created the Light on the Hill Society to provide scholarship support for African-American students.

In each March/April issue, the Review takes an in-depth look at some aspect of admissions. In this issue, beginning on page 36, we examine how — despite generous state scholarship support, private gifts and the tuition set-aside — continuing increases in tuition at Carolina are straining the University’s ability to meet the financial needs of all Carolina students who qualify for aid. If Carolina is to remain accessible to all the bright, talented and hardworking students who earn admission regardless of their financial circumstances, then private giving for scholarships is increasingly important.

In the late 18th century, the idea of The University of North Carolina was an audacious one. Providing higher education for the “common man” rather than just the elite was unprecedented. For 220 years, The University of North Carolina has proudly served the people of North Carolina. It has become one of the most respected institutions of higher education. We each must do what we can to preserve Carolina’s commitment to forever make it possible for all who earn admission to Carolina to attend — regardless of their financial circumstances. That is simply who we are. That is what makes Carolina special. 

Yours at Carolina,

Doug signature

 

 

 

 

Douglas S. Dibbert ’70

doug_dibbert@unc.edu

 


While there are minimum requirements to establish named scholarships, support at any level is always valued. You may wish to support students attending Carolina from your hometown by contributing to scholarships supported by your local Carolina Club. Or you may wish to contribute to the GAA Scholars, Douglas S. Dibbert Scholars, the J. Maryon “Spike” Saunders Scholars or the Light on the Hill Scholars. For details, see alumni.unc.edu/go/scholarshipsAlso, for information about UNC’s named endowed scholarships and named expendable scholarships, see bit.ly/Student-Support. On behalf of the worthy students you may help, thank you.


 

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